


Lost Memories

by Bill_Mcfricken_Cipher



Category: Portal (Video Game)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-07
Updated: 2014-09-20
Packaged: 2018-02-03 18:26:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 14,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1754107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bill_Mcfricken_Cipher/pseuds/Bill_Mcfricken_Cipher
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>During Wheatley's final moments in space, he decided to do something to himself that he thought was the best decision of his life. But he was wrong...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Preface

A spherical metal ball was floating aimlessly in Space. He had a bright blue cracked optic.  He was a monster, floating in space. A monster who went against his one and only friend and tried to kill her. A useless monster who's nearing the end of his life. A monster of a moron.

His name was Wheatley.

His gaze traveled to the other lifeless metal ball floating near him. The core with yellow sunburst optic had long ran out of battery and stopped spacing out. Despite the nonstop rant about space, Wheatley felt a little lonely without his space partner. He finds silence unnerving and lonely. He can't stand silence.

For the last 4 months, all he did was to think about the mistakes he did. All he did was ponder of what will happen if he just exercised self-control over himself, if he just didn't thrown them into the bowels of Aperture. What would happen if he just let the test subject go? What would happen if he had never planned to kill her and the Potato Battery in the first place? He knew one thing, and that thing is that this would never happen to him.

 _But_ Why _? That's the question I should be asking myself. Why did I go all bloody mad just being in that chassis?_

The answer was obvious, of course. The overwhelming power he had gained and the weight of the responsibilities that come along with it was the reason. The pressure of everything waiting to be done was too much and  _SHE_ had to pipe up and insult him! Poor ol' Wheatley's too weak to handle it.

_**"Battery Level 2%"** _

Was this the end? Was this how it's going to end for poor little Wheatley? He'll just die in space because he lost power? Was that even a proper death?! He chuckled. A once omnipotent AI was going to die in space. How sad this was going to be.

Then he thought, _Can I have a peaceful death?_

It seems highly unlikely for him to have a peaceful death, with all the mistakes he'd done haunting him. He'd like to die happy, for once. He hasn't felt death yet. It was a once in a lifetime experience. Why not make it a happy one?

_But how can I make it happy?_

**Delete your memories.** A voice behind his mind told him. **That wouldn't be too hard.**

Wheatley considered it for a few moments. Erase his memories and forget about everything he has done. Forget the pain of being rejected by his friend. Escape the pain he had brought upon himself. It was a good idea. It would surely make him happy.

He breathed a breath he did not need before proceeding to what he thought was the best decision of his life.

His optic blacked out.

_**"Attempting to restart device..."** _

_**"Please Wait..."** _

_**"Bootstrapper Initializing..."** _

_**"Initializing Intelligence Dampening Sphere..."** _

A crackle of static.

_**"Intelligence Dampening Sphere Online."** _

The core looked in all directions, scanning his surroundings. No matter where he looked, no matter where he turned his optic, everything looks the same. It was just endless darkness. Space.

"Where am I?" He asked to no one in particular. "Hello? Can... Can someone tell me where I am?" He started to tremble in fear. "Hello? Is- is there anyone there?"

_**"Battery Level 1% Shutting down."** _

And with that, the bright blue optic of the Intelligence Dampening Sphere faded and he had fallen into an endless sleep in the lonely clutches of space.

Until, that is, someone finds him and recharges him. He'll live to be free another day.


	2. AIDA

  
GLaDOS hung from the ceiling. She had exhausted her human test subjects, none of them highly intelligent worthy to keep anyway. GLaDOS went back to playing with her new beautifully constructed androids, and one, which was, by far, the most intelligent android she'd ever built, was missing. For weeks they have looked for her. She had commanded Orange and Blue to search for her in the 50's section, then in the 60's, then in the 70's, then in the 80's section, but there was no luck. She had checked every test chamber and every corner that her cameras can see.  
  
"GLaDOS?" Orange called out to her in her small squeaky voice, using the robotic language. _Oh god I hope I didn't disturb her._  
  
"What?" GLaDOS asked in a low venomous tone. She kept her eye on the set of monitors overlooking every place in the 90's section of Aperture.  
  
P-Body shrank and shook violently in fear. "Umm... What if Mistress AIDA is..."  
  
"Is what?" She had now turned to P-Body with a narrowed optic. P-Body backed away. "Nothing GLaDOS. Forget about what I said." She left the room in haste.  
  
GLaDOS quickly regretted being cold towards her Cooperative Testing Initiative. Maybe her Artificial Intelligence Droid Assistant had enough of her cold and passive-aggressive personality that she had left.  
  
GLaDOS swung gently back and forth lost deep in thought. If she could find AIDA, she'd make it up to her. She'd make sure she would for AIDA was her friend. A best friend. And the oddest friend she'd ever had. AIDA, despite her intelligence, spoke in a third person point of view. She only used the first person point of view when she states something very important. GLaDOS did not bother to change this glitch of AIDA's programming. She found it highly amusing and interesting.  
  


* * *

  
  
Someone was standing on the roof of the Aperture Shed. She felt the wind blow against her part-human part-metal brown skin. Her short blue hair whipped in the air. Her mismatched blue and orange eyes fixed on the sunset. She wore a lab coat. Underneath it was a blue shirt and a knee-long blue skirt. She wore long fall boots, long orange gloves and an orange utility belt.  
  
"AIDA feels free." She whispered to the blowing wind and the whisper was carried by the wind, like all other whispers.  
  
The sun had disappeared now and the stars twinkled above her. The stars, she believed, could speak the future and she read the stars like no other person could.  
  
But just when she was about to read the stars, one fell, quite literally, from the sky. She had briefly calculated the trajectory of the falling star and ran towards where she calculated it would fall. And she was right. A safe few meters from her, landed the star. It had created a crater that was quite large. She stepped in carefully and as the smoke disappeared, AIDA saw the most peculiar thing.  
  
A personality sphere.  
  
She examined the construct. It was the same personality construct she sees in her home, Aperture. She grabbed it by one of its handles and brought it with her. She'd examine this construct when she gets home. She stopped at the entrance.  
  
"If AIDA is lucky enough for Madam GLaDOS not to find this, AIDA would keep it."  
  
She waited a little more 'til the time came she knew GLaDOS goes to sleep mode. She went in and sneaked quietly to her room. Her room GLaDOS never knew it existed.  
  
She had put the sphere down and started to tinker with the sphere. It seemed that the Sphere had used up its battery, both main and reserve. She plugged the sphere onto one of the power sockets and left it there. She would turn it on in the morning, when it's fully charged. Right now, it's time to engage in sleep mode.


	3. AIDRIAN

AIDA awoke with a yelp as she heard the earsplitting yells of Madam GLaDOS.  
  
  
  
"The Shed got what?!?!" AIDA heard her voice from the speakers.  
  
  
  
"HOW IN EINSTEIN’S NAME WAS IT DESTROYED!!?? WHAT HAPPENED?!?" She only heard GLaDOS' side of the conversation, like listening to your father receiving a call.  
  
  
  
"A PERSONALITY CONSTRUCT?! Give it to me."  
  
  
  
It was deathly silent after that. AIDA glanced at the personality core charging, and then a new voice yelled, its voice corrupted and hyper...  
  
  
  
"SPAAAAAAAAACEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!" The new voice pierced through the walls.  
  
  
  
"Shut up." GLaDOS' cold voice told it aggressively.  
  
  
  
AIDA sighed and turned to the personality core. She stared at it, wide-eyed. She did not see the severity of the damage of the sphere's chassis in the dark. She wouldn't be able to talk to it at this point. AIDA glanced at something covered with a dusty blanket.  
  
  
  
"AIDA would have to use you."  
  
  
  
She took the blanket off, revealing an android skeleton. She hasn't added the skin yet and the Artificial Intelligence to make it work. She smiled at her work. This Android would be a gift to her beloved Goddess, GLaDOS. Happily taking a large metallic cryogenic refrigerator off the shelf, she opened it and extracted a plastic bag containing a skin of a human.  
  
  
  
"The teleportation device might be a failed experiment, but it is useful in its weirdest ways." She told to nobody in particular as she began to sew the skin onto the body.  
  
  
  
She poured her energy onto sewing the skin correctly. She had spent hours on this simple but delicate task until finally...  
  
  
  
"AIDA's finished!! Madam GLaDOS would be proud of AIDA!" She looked at her clock. 3A.M. A nanosecond passed and she said, "12 hours. I've been doing this in 12 hours." She paused, deciding whether she should upload the conscience now or wait after she gets her rest.  
  
  
  
She stood up and took the personality sphere off her table and connected a wire to the sphere then to the socket on the android's nape. She breathed in and proceeded with the transfer.  
  
  
  
\---------------  
  
  
  
GLaDOS was just hanging around supervising Orange and Blue test when she heard footsteps. Her golden optic traveled to the entrance. She expected to see AM, the hatred droid she built.  
  
  
  
"Madam GLaDOS, AIDA has returned!" AIDA exclaimed happily.  
  
  
  
She waved at GLaDOS and sat near her and smiled. GLaDOS would've returned the wave and smile if she could, but as an extremely large AI chained to the ceiling, she couldn't, so she just nudged her.  
  
  
  
"Madam GLaDOS is quite nice to AIDA today."  
  
  
  
GLaDOS quickly returned her attention back to Blue and Orange, as if she didn't hear anything.  
  
  
  
"Madam GLaDOS? Is there something wrong?" AIDA asked innocently and looked inquiringly at the hanging AI.  
  
  
  
"What's wrong?" GLaDOS' usual perfect low voice was higher, "What's wrong? You, my assistant, wandered around for weeks without my knowledge of your coordinates! I've been worried sick! I thought... I thought you've..." GLaDOS' voice quivered. She couldn't continue her sentence. She may be nice and vulnerable now, but not enough to admit that she thought her creation, her friend, had hated her for being cold and intimidating around her that she left. She kept her gaze on the monitors.  
  
  
  
AIDA looked at the ground in shame. "Madam GLaDOS, AIDA is sorry. AIDA didn't mean to make Madam GLaDOS worried. AIDA was just preparing a surprise for Madam GLaDOS."  
  
  
  
GLaDOS turned to face AIDA, her optic wide with shock and disbelief. No one, absolutely no one, had dared to prepared a surprise for her... well maybe one did, but that was another kind of surprise. A deadly surprise.  
  
  
  
She looked at AIDA curiously and at the same time, suspecting an upcoming danger with this surprise. "And what did you... prepare for me?" GLaDOS asked AIDA slowly and as emotionless as she could say it.  
  
  
  
AIDA's mood brightened and she beamed at her.  
  
  
  
"Madam GLaDOS would like AIDA's surprise!" And with that, she ran out of the room.  
  
  
  
GLaDOS was not sure of what to feel right now. She once made two surprises which were both lies and one set of surprises that she and the lunatic had barely escaped alive. She's not sure if she should trust her or not. AIDA could act like him. She wouldn't want to risk her facility for another similar enemy.  
  
  
  
 _She's your friend. She won't plot against you._ A small voice reassured her.  
  
  
  
 **How could you know?** GLaDOS asked it.  
  
  
  
 _Because I know what it's like to have friends. Friends do this as a friend with a good will, not an enemy trying to tricking you._  
  
  
 **And how are you sure of that, Caroline?**  
  
  
The voice did not answer her anymore. She shook her core and decided to give this surprise the benefit of the doubt.  
  
  
She heard a set of footsteps and waited in uncomfortable uncertainty. AIDA appeared in the entrance with another android GLaDOS had not remembered building.  
  
  
The droid was a male, obviously, with his messy curly brown hair and blue eyes. For an android, it was peculiar to see this one wearing glasses. I mean, most androids can focus and refocus their eyes. He was roughly 6'6 feet tall with a timid and uncertain attitude. He was dressed in the Aperture Science Testing Jumpsuit with fall boots as well.  
  
  
GLaDOS had continued assessing the new android. It was a primitive design but more advanced than her marshmallows.  
  
  
"This," AIDA started, "is AID-RIaN." She motioned to her Droid. "Short for Artificial Intelligence Droid-- Redacted Intelligence and Narrator."  
  
  
GLaDOS tilted her core. "Narrator?"  
  
  
AIDA nodded vigorously. "An enthusiastic story teller."  
  
  
"Redacted Intelligence?"  
  
  
"He thinks someone deleted his Intelligences."  
  
  
  
GLaDOS gazed at AIDRIaN for a while. He kept on fidgeting under the intense gaze of the large supercomputer.  
  
  
  
"I'm not something you could just stare at, y'know!" He suddenly exclaimed loudly that GLaDOS backed off. It wasn't out of shock, really. It was out of sudden instinct that she moved away. GLaDOS was not sure who this Android is but something about him was terribly familiar. Especially when he shouted at her with the same Bristol accent and voice he had.  
  
  
GLaDOS turned to AIDA. "What Intelligence did you use?"  
  
  
AIDA hesitated. She opened her mouth to say something but closed it again.  
  
  
"AIDA, I'll repeat," she said in the calmest voice she could muster, "what Intelligence did you use?"  
  
  
"AIDA found a Personality Construct outside. AIDA is sorry for leaving without Madam GLaDOS' permission."  
  
  
GLaDOS froze at this. She left without permission, retrieved a moron, download its consciousness onto an android she built, and brings it to her as a gift. That is particularly the worst thing AIDA had done to her. What if her mind was polluted by that little idiot's lies? AIDA would turn against her.  
  
  
"Uhm... Did I do something wrong?" AIDRIaN took a shaky step forward. "Y-you look shaken... ah, madam... what's her name again?" AIDRIaN asked AIDA. AIDA whispered something to him and he repeated it and AIDA chuckled.  
  
  
"Madam Gladys-- Gladees... nope that's wrong... Gladouws..."  
  
  
AIDA laughed at AIDRIaN's feeble attempts to pronounce GLaDOS' name correctly.  
  
  
 _Moron_ , GLaDOS thought. _A moron is once again inside my facility. That's the last thing I need. Well, I can't just destroy it. AIDA would get angry. I need AIDA's trust._  
  
  
  
"I'd like to talk to AIDRIaN alone." GLaDOS requested. AIDA nodded and left.  
  
  
  
A mechanical claw grabbed AIDRIaN by the collar and he tried to wriggle himself free.  
  
  
  
"Why did you come back?" She asked him "Are you really desperate to die moron?" She hissed.  
  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about Gladus!"  
  
  
"Don't lie to me. You're here for revenge, aren't you?" She snarled, and then added, "And, my name is GLaDOS, short for Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System. You should know that!"  
  
  
"No! I am not lying! I have never met you in my life. I never even heard your name before! I don't even know who I am!" He glared at her, and then continued. "I just woke up in AIDA's room without knowing anything! One moment I was in space for a reason I don't remember, then I was in her room! How crazy is that?!"  
  
  
GLaDOS kept her glare at the android. _So the moron deleted his memories. It wouldn't be long until he finds the back up files every core has. But for now..._  
  
"Fine but one wrong move, in the incinerator you go. Understand?"  
  
  
"Understood." He hesitated, "did I do something wrong, before I lost my memories?"  
  
  
GLaDOS shook her head as she let AIDRIaN down… "Better for you to know less."  
  
  
"Well, can I be your friend?"  
  
  
The question took her by surprise. AIDRIaN offered to become her friend despite her accusing him of trying to get his revenge on her. Despite her threatening him. Was the ID Core actually defective? This droid must be insane.  
  
  
 **Or, he just wants me to trust him enough and take over the facility again.**  
  
  
 _ **Or,** he's trying to be nice. He's trying to make up for the mistakes he made even though he has no clue about what they were. You should try to be a friend once. He's innocent. _  
  
__  
 **Caroline, is that what you really think? Are you really trying to tell me that moron's innocent?** _ _  
  
  
 _Well,_ Caroline said slowly, _you did say you'd give him the benefit of the doubt._  
  
  
__ **Oh please, I had given him a very large chance of killing me now. I let him stay, didn't I?** _ _  
  
  
 _Be his friend._  
  
  
__ **No. Nonononono. I'd rather die than be his friend.**  
  
  
Caroline chuckled, Want _ _ _me to prove you wrong._  
  
  
 **Want to try?**  
  
  
 _Does a set of all sets contain itself?_  
  
  
 **Well... that's…**__ GLaDOS felt some of her thought processors spark and burn. _ _**DON'TTHINKABOUTITDON'TTHINKABOUTITDON'TTHINKABOUTIT!!!**  
  
  
__ "Oh God! GLaDOS you're burning!!! What... What should I do?" AIDRIaN panicked.  
  
  
"Fine! I'll be your friend!" GLaDOS said bluntly, "Happy now Caroline?"  she added, annoyed. Certainly she's doing this against her will. AIDRIaN was disappointed.  
  
  
"You know you could say no if you don't want to!" AIDRIaN mumbled.  
  
  
"I can't...or maybe I can, now that I know Caroline would use paradoxes against me." She paused. "But I'm not going to risk my life, so, yes. I'll be your friend. Just don't... _murder_ me."  
  
  
"Okay. Uhm... goodbye friend. I'll be looking for AIDA." And with that he left GLaDOS alone in the chamber.  
  
  
"You know, Caroline, that was rude of you." GLaDOS said with distaste. A chuckle in the back of her mind was the only response she got.


	4. AIDRIAN

_GLaDOS felt tiny and vulnerable in the little potato battery that that moron decided to put her in. The potato was terribly old. It could barely give her enough energy to keep her processors going, much less fry them._

_“Plug me in and I’ll take you up.” She told the test subject who held onto her with the delicate portal gun. She clearly hesitated but a loud explosion from above brought her back to reality._

_She reluctantly plugged the potato onto the socket. A couple of sparks of electricity and GLaDOS was glad with the unlimited power that it provided her and activated all of her thought processors as she brought herself and her companion up._

_“If you think we’re enemies, we’re enemies with the same interest— **revenge!**  You like revenge, right? Everyone likes revenge!” She grinned inwardly. “Well let’s go get some!”_

_They were in the central AI chamber; GLaDOS was able to see beyond her chamber through the tiny spaces of the panels. They were surrounded with fire. **Oh, my facility…**_

**“Well, well, well. Welcome to my _lair._ ”**

_She immediately left the mute test subject with the Intelligence Dampening Sphere and sent orders to a mechanical claw to grab one of the corrupted cores for them to plug in…_

* * *

 

 

“….DOS…  
….aDOS…  
GLaDOS!!”

GLaDOS heard a voice call her while she was in sleep mode. She forced her systems to go online. Being partially awake from her sleep mode, she asked, “What do you want that couldn’t wait until morning? In case your internal clock is broken, it’s 2:37 A.M.”

Her optic flickered on and it adjusted at the brightness of the flashlight a silhouette was pointing at her.

“Please turn that flashlight off before you damage my optic, idiot.” She hissed.

“Oh, right. Sorry.” The android said, embarrassed as he turned the flashlight off.

GLaDOS sent orders to turn the lights on in her chamber and with the last of systems pulling out of sleep mode; she ran her usual check on the facility’s entire mainframe, the reactor core’s safeguards, and the Turret Production Line, and the newly repaired neurotoxin generator. There are no dysfunctional systems and mainframes, the reactor core safeguards are still functioning quite perfectly, nothing out of the ordinary going on in the Turret Production Line and the neurotoxin generator is still intact. It only took her a full picosecond to do all of these.

“Uhm… GLaDOS? Could I talk to you for a second?” AIDRIaN asked timidly. GLaDOS let out a small, annoyed electrical grumble and turned to him.

“What?”

“I had a dream.” He told her.

GLaDOS shook her chassis lightly. “So I expect you want to talk to me about it.” She doesn’t want to. Dreams are not her specialty. She is certainly not the expert on this. AIs do  _not_ dream. If they do, she has no idea how it would feel and she had no plan on finding out.

“Yes please. I just need to get it out my system.” AIDRIaN hesitated “It’s just… bothering me.” He looked at GLaDOS with puppy eyes. Oh how she hates him for doing such a human act.

“Fine.” She said yes because the situation did not provide a reason good enough for her to say no. “Just don’t ever do that thing you’re doing right now. It’s disgusting.”

AIDRIaN sat down below GLaDOS.

“Well, this is what happened in my dream; I was a personality sphere…”

 

* * *

 

**_Reactor Core Safeguards: Off. Explosion Imminent. Evacuate the facility immediately._ **

_A voice rang out from the speakers. A personality core stared blankly at the speakers._ Did I just hear the announcement correctly? _It thought. He could not believe that the facility would blow up._ SHE wouldn’t let that happen, would she? I mean… she’ll die as well.

_He quickly slid on his management rail and knocked on the nearest door of a test subject in cryogenic storage._

_“Hello?” He asked. “Is anyone there? Please open up. The facility is going to explode any second now!” He called out again and again but he was fruitless._ The human in there must be dead.  _He then knocked on the other doors and he got no response._

_“All the bloody vegetables are dead. So am I if I stay here longer than I should. I really need a human to escape with me.”_

_So he persisted. He had gone from door to door, knocked at each of them with the same outcome. As he found more dead test subjects, a loud nagging voice started scolding him._

**_You’re in charge of the Humans. Look. They’re dead. Because of YOU. You were tasked to look after the humans. To make sure they’re_ ** **alive. _You failed!_**

****

_Once or twice he had considered on giving up but the continuous warnings the Announcer gives the non-existent employees, pushes him to find a human still alive and is fit to escape with him._

* * *

_“Hello?” He asked to the maybe dead human at the other side of the door._

_“Is… is anyone there?” He asked. He rasped on the door with his handle and it opened immediately._

_“Argh! You look terrib--- great! You look great, to be honest.”_

_"Are you alright... Don't answer that! I'm sure you're fine."_

**_"Nuclear reactor safeguards: off. Explosion imminent. Prepare for emergency evacuation."_ **

_The test subject's eyes widen in shock and panic._

_"Stay calm!!! Prepare. That's all they're saying. Prepare. Uhm... I'll get us out of here." The sphere stopped and thought for a moment as he ascended the rail for him to move the room. "Uh, if I were you, I might hold onto something. Just a word of advice. Up to you."_

* * *

 

"After that, I woke up. That's it."

"And this bothers you because?" GLaDOS asked exasperated.

"I told you my dream because it felt so real. So real that I thought the dream I had was actually a memory that was deleted." AIDRIaN said. “Was it?”

GLaDOS shook her core. “No, I’m sure it’s not.” She told him a direct lie, which is something she rarely does…, to androids, of course. She always lies to the filthy humans.

They remained silent for a while; thinking about the story AIDRIaN had just retold her. She started to get worried that he was already accessing them a bit sooner than she expected he would. She wouldn’t let him access it all, of course. She must find a way to stop him from accessing those files.

“GLaDOS, do you dream?”

It was a peculiar question, yet she knew the answer. “No.” And it was true. She could only replay her memories without her knowledge when she enters sleep mode. It’s something defective in her processors, she theorized. But during this dream-like state, she would be able to experience a certain moment again, but she wouldn’t be able to change the outcome, she had no free will, it was already written from the start, thus, it was not a dream.

Then it hit her. Androids, do, in fact,  **not** dream. Just like her, the androids would replay their memories without their knowledge and pretend it was a dream. So the more frequent AIDRIaN has dreams, the more he’ll access his memories. And she can’t let him know about his past. Not yet.

“Oh. Sorry to bother you then.” AIDRIaN replied as he stood up. “I hope I could do something in return for listening to me for no good reason.”

GLaDOS hung there as AIDRIaN walked away from her.

 _Say something!_ Caroline suddenly urged out of the blue. _Come on!_

**_Well, what do you presume I should say?_ **

_Anything!_

“Come back again some other time.” GLaDOS blurted out without thinking. “Tell me another story next time.” What is she saying? Does she really mean that?

AIDRIaN stared at her, as if she was mad, then grinned. “Yes ma’am!”

GLaDOS stared at the spot where the android once stood.

“AIDA’s right. He  _is_ a good narrator.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:
> 
> Oh My God! It's been a while! I can't update due to not having internet! I can't type on my phone since it's hard to edit there. So I write now on MS Word. I am also working on TSP one shots and the other chapter of The Tale of Two Bratz and Two Baby Sitters. I'm also making a remake of Black Mesa's Virus. I'm also suffering, currently, with my Science Fair research. Forgive me, but I need a day of... really. I am also planning on remaking the Shadow of The Past, following my promise of changing the ending. I'm also remaking the Roses Revenge which pretty much would be hard since I'm going to try to remember the whole plot. xD. I'm also working on short non-sense stuff. (Fran lol... senpai) I'm planning creating my very own Fantasy Story.Yes original plotsies and characties. God, what's with my life. Anyway.
> 
> Shiro signing off.
> 
>  
> 
> Edit:
> 
> Uh, no. Not really /edit/ because I never really edited the whole chapter. Well not /yet/. Some other time xD


	5. Bird's Egg

  
  
GLaDOS watched her cooperative testing initiative solve her tests through her monitors. It seems that Orange had accidentally fallen into the toxic waste when Blue forgot to provide her a hard light bridge when she catapulted herself with an Aerial Faith Plate.   
  
  
“GLaDOS!” A British voice called from the corridors. “GLaDOS!”   
  
  
AIDRIaN entered the room, clutching a…  
  
  
“Get that nest of monsters away from me!!!” GLaDOS screamed at AIDRIaN. “Get that nest out of my chamber immediately!!” She looked around the room in fear that something would try and eat her. The panels of the large dome-like room bent in different directions in reflection of what she felt.  
  
  
“Why? It’s a bird’s nest—“  
  
  
“That is the exact reason why I want it gone immediately. That’s a _bird’s_ nest with the birds unborn offspring! That’s a nest of monsters which will try to--” She stopped. “It’s a nest of **_murderers_**!”  
  
  
“Yes,” AIDRIaN started, “it is a nest. Yes it does have eggs. But **no** , it’s not a nest of murderers. It’s a nest of a bird with its eggs. It wouldn’t kill you. It’s completely harmless! Well… I think it tried to kill me… but it’s just a vague thought! It won’t kill you.”  
  
  
“You don’t know what those killing machines do. I had firsthand experience.” GLaDOS glared at the nest. “I do not tolerate the presence of those things.”   
  
  
“Give ‘em a chance!”AIDRIaN pleaded with GLaDOS. “Pretty please.”   
  
  
“I told you not to use those so-called puppy eyes!” She yelled at AIDRIaN. “Just put that thing back where you found it.”  
  
  
AIDRIaN pouted, “But I want to keep it.”  
  
  
“I’m giving it a chance of living rather than to throw it in the incinerator or crush it with a crusher panel and you persist on keeping it when anytime I could callously murder it.”  
  
  
AIDRIaN fell silent. He seemed to have been having an internal debate. He clutched on the nest of eggs with great care. He looked down and turned his back on her.   
  
  
_**Ca-caw!**_  
  
  
“AGH! BIRD! BIRD! BIRD! THERE’S A BIRD IN MY CHAMBER!! GET THAT NEST OUT NOW!!!” GLaDOS panicked and swung around wildly in fear. “Get it out! Get it out!” Her screams echoed throughout the facility.  
  
  
AIDRIaN set aside the nest of eggs carefully then ran at the bird who circled GLaDOS. He grabbed something in his pocket and opened his fist filled with rice grains.  
“I told you to get that nest out! Not lay grains of rice onto my chamber floor! Are you even listening!?” GLaDOS had activated different panels to try and crush the bird. Her paranoid gaze followed the bird which landed on the rice grains laid on the floor and began to peck it.  
  
  
“See? Harmless.” AIDRIaN smiled at the bird and patted its head lightly. “As long as you don’t break its eggs, I’m sure it won’t attack you.”   
  
  
“How are you so sure about that?” GLaDOS asked in a high pitched, auto-tuned voice.  
  
  
“Another… another vague thought.” AIDRIaN said uncomfortably. “Why are you afraid of ‘em anyway?”  
  
  
GLaDOS gave him an unstable glare. “It’s none of your business.” The bird kept on pecking the grains and momentarily stopped to look at GLaDOS whose optic seemed to flicker in fear. It tilted its head and cawed once before returning to the grains of rice.  
  
  
GLaDOS tilted her head in curiosity of the bird’s sudden change in attitude and managed to inch closer.  
  
  
“Want to take a look at the egg?” AIDRIaN suddenly said, holding an egg on his hands. He walked towards GLaDOS. He was too busy carefully concentrating on holding the egg carefully, he forgot about the bird feeding on the grains on the floor and almost stepped on it. With panic, the bird flew away from him quickly and circled the chamber again, cawing loudly as it did. GLaDOS once again returned to her panic mode and made attempts on killing the bird.  
  
  
 _ **Crack.**_  
  
AIDRIaN dropped the egg. The bird stopped in mid air and crowed at its loudest before lunging at AIDRIaN and started pecking him.  
  
  
“ARGH! BIRD! BIRD! BIRD! BIRD! GERROF ME!!” AIDRIaN was about to bolt out of the chamber but his feet wouldn’t let him. He felt like he was hanging from something...  
  
  


  
  
 _“Argh!!! Bird! Bird! Bird! Bird!” The Personality Construct screamed as he slid out of the view of the test subject. He quickly took a sharp turn when his rail permitted him to do so. Miraculously, with a lot of effort, he was able to lose the bird. He returned to the test subject, panting._  
  
“Okay, that’s the bird, isn’t it? That laid the eggs! Livid!” he chuckled.   
  


  
  
  
“Uhm. I’ll break us out of here. I promise! I promise! I just have to find a way how…”  
  
  
GLaDOS gaped at AIDRIaN and momentarily forgot about her fear of birds. Did she just hear him correctly? He’ll break them out of there? Yes, she’s afraid of birds. But to leave this chamber just because of a little bird she’s traumatized of? No. She might as well turn on the neurotoxin generator now and kill the bird.  
  
  
She paused. That’s it! Neurotoxin!  
  
  
 **** _“Neurotoxin emitters: online. Neurotoxin will reach full capacity in – 5 – minutes.”  
The doors clored, locking all three of them inside._  
  
  
“GLaDOS no!” AIDRIaN yelled and ran to GLaDOS with his hands covering his head. He looked at GLaDOS once again with those annoying puppy eyes. GLaDOS uttered a silent sigh and glared at AIDRIaN.  
  
  
"Neurotoxin Emmiters Offline."  
  
  
The bird flew out of the now open door. AIDRIaN let the bird leave without any protests. He looked at the shattered egg and at the two remaining ones in the nest.   
  
  
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'll clean this up and get the eggs back where they came from safely--"  
  
  
"You're insane." GLaDOS started, "You decided to walk into my chamber with a nest of eggs, baited a bird to come into my chamber, smashed an egg and caused panic and you expect me to trust you to return the eggs 'safely'?" GLaDOS started to study the eggs.  
"Although," she commanded the panels to carefully place the nest in the incubator, "I may want to study on how birds react to different situations. I'd be keeping the eggs in the incubator."   
  
  
This did nothing to cheer AIDRIaN. He just skulked as he fixed the mess of the broken egg. When he was finished, he sat down on the floor a great distance away from GLaDOS.   
"I'm sorry. I did not mean for it to happen."   
  
  
GLaDOS made an electronic sound that sounded like a bitter chuckle. "There were a lot of things you did not mean for it to happen. And there will be a lot more to happen that you will never expect to happen."  
  
  
AIDRIaN stood up and prepared to leave.  
  
  
"Was there anything else you came here for?" GLaDOS made notes of observation when as she asked him.  
  
AIDRIaN hesitated before giving GLaDOS his answer. "Nope. I just wanted you to see the   
eggs."  
  
  
He walked pass GLaDOS so quickly that he disappeared before GLaDOS was able to say something to him. GLaDOS considered to call him back but discarded the idea when she saw the eggs.   
  
  
GLaDOS' optic relaxed as she made more notes of observation keeping to herself a small chuckle.   
  
  
"My new little monsters."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:
> 
> Done this a few days ago. I just remembered that I finished it now while searching my folders. //keeled.
> 
> So I did the double-spacing-thing here and tried to review it as thoroughly as I could.
> 
> The idea of the birds really just hit me right before I watched the Portal 2 DLC ending and I was too lazy to change this chapter.
> 
> So as you have seen, Wheat-- AIDRIaN (or ADRIaN... if I ever get the spelling wrong. Both are acceptable anyway) was regaining his memories even if it wasn't a "dream" so... yeah. It depend on his current situation.
> 
> Next chapter would be coming soon!
> 
> \--
> 
> Edit again:
> 
> Not-so-edit-part xD
> 
> Done this months ago, just reposting it~


	6. The Festival

AIDRIAN walked away from the Central AI Chamber with a depressed atmosphere. He just went there to say hi, but in his journey he had come across a nest of eggs. Then he managed to mess up every single thing right after that. What's worse is that he had done that in front of _Her._

He let out a sigh as he continued to walk aimlessly in the facility. AIDRIAN noticed that almost everything in the facility seems familiar, and his feet was carrying him like it knows where to go.

AIDRIAN stopped in his tracks. Footsteps started to echo in the long corridor from behind him.

"AIDRIAN!" a voice of a female called out from behind him.

"Gaaaah!"

AIDA threw all her weight on AIDRIAN. Despite being 6'4, his knobbly knees shook in the heaviness of AIDA's weight.  They toppled forward then fell to the ground with a loud thump.

"Hey, AIDA knows that AIDRIAN and AIDA are not allowed to go out," she started without getting off AIDRIAN, "but AIDA heard there'll be a festival in the nearest town. AIDA always wanted to go see a festival." she said dreamily to AIDRIAN who was struggling underneath her weight.

"G-gerrof. N-n-need to b-breathe." AIDRIAN stuttered.

AIDA cocked her head to the side, "breathe? Androids don't breathe."

AIDRIAN let out a yelp and patted her arm softly in defeat. "Y-you're crushing m-me!"

"Oh!" she exclaimed and got off of AIDRIAN. "Why didn't AIDRIAN tell AIDA earlier?"

"Because!" AIDRIAN said as he tried to regain his breath that he doesn't need. "Because I don't have to tell you that. When people stumble on people, they quickly get off the one under. Well... unless we're playing dog pile, you can just stay on top until the game is over... I don't really know why humans invent those kinds of games. I mean, what if one of 'em gets squished? Mad!"

Silence, then, descended between them. And AIDRIAN found it uncomfortable. He _always_ find silence uncomfortable.

 

_**A spherical metal ball was floating aimlessly in Space. He had a bright blue cracked optic.  He was a monster, floating in space. A monster who went against his one and only friend and tried to kill her. A useless monster who's nearing the end of his life. A monster of a moron.** _

_**His name was Wheatley.** _

 

 _Wheatley?_ AIDRIAN thought, _was that my name? Wheatley?_

"Dog pile..." AIDA said absentmindedly. Then her cheery aura returned. "So, the festival?"

AIDRIAN found no excuse to say no, so he nodded.

And once again, AIDRIAN found himself on the floor after AIDA glomped him.

The town was filled colorful confetti. Stands were found in every corner, people were scattered in the streets, making lively clamor as a group walked pass the two human disguised androids.

AIDA skipped around the nearby town with a blue and orange dress and blue boots. Orange ribbons tied her hair into a pony tail. AIDRIAN, on the other hand, walked behind her. He wore a polo and a blue tie underneath his gray vest. He also wore black slacks and black shoes.

"Humans are very festive, aren't they?" AIDRIAN mumbled to himself.

"Of course they are," AIDA replied, "AIDA told you that we're going to this town for a festival."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Remember when I said that I'm forcing myself to write, I had a good start, then my brother forced me to play minecraft with him, then the chat with friends began and I just couldn't work on this anymore, anyway, I have to post this as soon as possible.
> 
> \---
> 
> I'll edit this as soon as possible~


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:
> 
> Hey, I was bored and the next thing I knew I was typing this and found myself finishing it. Yay! I rly wish I portrayed Him good enough for you ppl to decipher who He is. //shot
> 
> \-- Edit Note:
> 
> Heyya, This chapter was posted a day earlier. If you guys want to track my activity, I really recommend you guys to go to my dA account. You'll even get to see my Portal Spam yesterday!
> 
> It was posted yesterday for the celebration of 3 years of Portal 2. In case those people do not know.
> 
> \--Edit again :
> 
> I. Will. Edit. This. Some. Time. (Or never)

AIDRIAN felt a bit awkward.

He met a couple of humans who exchanged hand shakes and hugs with him. He hadn't really done this as he was an android from a secret underground facility. He never met any humans.

AIDA, on the other hand, was exchanging pleasantries as if she had done this before. It seems that she already knew some of the people here. But how could she? No one was allowed to leave Aperture without permission from _Her._ Was she sneaking out? Oh! Does she even know the consequences of her actions?

AIDRIAN's train of thoughts were interrupted when two men ran past him with a hand bag, almost knocking him down.

"Hey! Watch i--"

Another person ran past him, successfully knocking him down on the way this time. She was a middle aged woman, around her 40s. She was chasing them.

ADRIAN wanted to find out what was happening.  He looked back at AIDA who was too busy talking with a friend of hers. AIDRIAN considered telling her what he was planning. 

Then he ran.

He ran, as fast as he could without falling. Casually bumping into people as he went. He saw the old woman take a sharp turn to an alley. He followed. What was good was that the alley was a dead end, and they cornered the snatchers. They had no where to run. 

The bad thing was that the snatchers had guns _and_ backup. That and AIDRIAN and the old lady had no where to run.

"Put both of your hands up in the air." a deep voice commanded from behind AIDRIAN. AIDRIAN did as he was told and raised both of his hands up. The gun's end was directed on his head, he can feel it.

The old woman, on the other hand, did not listen. Instead she glared at the snatchers. Her glare was so intense, it's amazing that it hadn't created a hole through the men's skull. And even though it was not directed at him, AIDRIAN fidgeted at the weight of it.

"I said put your hands up, old lady." The man said, more forceful this time. Yet the woman did not move.

"I don't have time for playing games with you! Put your hands up or I'll shoot you." The man hit the lady's head with the gun

Then, chaos happened.

A swift movement from a girl behind the two men blocking AIDRIAN and the lady's escape knocked them off their feet. AIDA quickly injectied blue liquid on the two and both fell unconscious.

The old lady grabbed one of the fallen guns and fired it at the hands of one of the snatchers holding a gun. Perfect shot. The bullet hit his hands and blood started to splutter on the ground. The sight of it made AIDRIAN sick. He tried to keep his bile at bay.

"P-please." the last man cowered, "H-here, take it. I don't want it anymore."

The oldlady walked up to him and snatched her bag back and turned around to leave. She smiled at AIDA as she walked away.

AIDRIAN saw from the corner of his eyes the small movement if the man drawing his gun and aiming at the old lady.

_**BANG!** _

AIDRIAN was quite sure of one thing right now.

This android body was not bullet proof.

All AIDA felt was anger boiling inside of her. AIDRIAN, her android, her friend, was shot by the man. Now he was damaged. _Severely_ damaged. She charged the man. He grabbed him by his hand as he tried to shoot the lady. It pierced the lady's leg. AIDA tightened her grip on the man's hand until he dropped the gun.

"I will kill you." she said in a dangerously low voice.

The man started to laugh. "You? Kill me? Ridiculous!"

AIDA tightened her grip on the man's hand. His laughter turned to cries of pain. She kept on squeezing it until she heard a _**snap.**_ She smirked as she took the gun into her hands.

 _ **Don't do it. Don't kill him.** _ A voice told her. _His_ voice.

AIDA has heard this voice before, and had haunted her ever since _that_ happened to her. She knew it so well. Oh so well indeed. And whenever she'd hear _His_ voice, something happens. So she decided to do what she was told and let go of the man's hand.

The man let out a whimper. "Pathetic." AIDA remarked as she walked to carry AIDRIAN.

The old lady had carefully taken the bullet off her leg and was now covering her wound with a towel she produced from her bag. She laid her head on the wall to rest and was soon fast asleep.

AIDA gave the lady a glance, an internal debate was happening.

 _She'll need proper medical attention, AIDA needs to bring her home._ AIDA reasoned with herself

 **And what?** her other conscience asked, **Risk being scolded by GLaDOS? No chance.**

_AIDA would prefer to be scolded than to leave this lady dead._

You'll **be dead if you bring her.**

_AIDA won't--_

**GLaDOS would be totally infuriated. Ha-ha! The blame is on you. Or leave her.**

AIDA walked away from the lady and towards home. Someone tapped her shoulder.

"AIDA." his voice sent synthetic shivers down AIDA's metal spine. "Do m-me a favor and bring the woman back. She will be of use to y-your f-riend. Trus-st me." The man lifted his hand from AIDA's shoulder.

AIDA turned to the man. He wore a gray suit with a violet tie. His emerald green eyes seem alien to her, even though she'd seen it a lot. His slightly wrinkled face wore a sorry smile. He straightened his tie and turned to leave.

"Oh and one ot-her thing." he said as he looked back.

"Part five!" the personality exclaimed in triumphant as the test subject was baited _into pressing trhe stalemate resolution button. "Booby trap the stalemate button!"_

She was blasted away from it and fora gleeful moment, Wheatley stared at the unmoving figure of the test subject on the floor. Finally! After trying a lot (and failing a lot as well) he was able to kill her! She finally died!

He was happy, of course, until the test subject moved to get her portal gun. He stared at her in disbelief.

"What?" he asked, outraged. "Are you still alive?!"

"You are joking. You have got to be kidding me."

AIDRIAN awoke to the controlled voice of GLaDOS. Oh dear god. Did she find out? Did she find out that they left without her permission and stirred up trouble in the town? Oh no. They're dead. Yup. That's certain, they're dead.

"No madam, I..."

AIDRIAN's eyes fluttered open, finding himself lying half naked in a room beside Her chamber. This wouldn't have shocked AIDRIAN, then again, there was the old lady who was lying beside him, unconscious, with a bandaged leg.

AIDRIAN could have sworn she looked terribly familiar. He was only able to see her features up close now. She had a brown toned skin and dark brown hair, often mistaken as black, with gray streaks.

"Look, GLaDOS, she's wounded. I needed to help her." AIDA tried her best to convince GLaDOS, "She took a bullet to her leg and--"

"Well, at least make sure she'll make a great test subject when she's healed." GLaDOS cut harshly. "Take her to the relaxation vault."

AIDA stormed out of her chamber and into the small room where AIDRAIN and the lady was.

"What happened? _"_ AIDRIAN asked her.

"Nothing important" she barked. She carried the lady out and left AIDRIAN in the room. AIDRIAN let out a sigh. AIDA was being difficult, which is something that happens rarely and as her friend, he need to know what her problem was.So he ran after her, taking a shirt on the way out.

"Hey wait up!" he exclaimed, "AIDA!"

"What happened?" he asked her when he caught up. AIDA rolled her eyes.

"Look," she stopped at the doorway and looked at AIDRIAN straight into the eye. "It's none of your business." she said as she slammed the door in his face _._

That was quite rude. AIDRIAN thought. He'd never seen AIDA rude before. Nope, not that he can remember. What happened to her that made her this furious? AIDRIAN's sure that AIDA won't be telling him anytime sooner. So he has only one choice.

He has to ask GLaDOS.

 


	8. Rediscovery of the Lost

The woman woke up for the first time in two weeks. She awoke to the seemingly familiar tune of something she heard, a long, long time ago. She sat up the familiar odd bed and looked around her.

She was trapped in a glass room with no way out. Ordinarily a person would panic if she found herself visibly trapped inside a room. But the woman was quite different. She gazed around as she just awoke from a dream.

"Hello," A familiar AI recording spoke through the intercom. The woman's head jerked sideward to the camera. "And welcome to Aprture Scie--" The recording stopped abruptly.

The woman regarded the camera with no expression at all. But deep inside her she was both relieved and scared. Relieved because she was not yet killed so far. Scared for the reason that she woke up in the place where she tried to escape so long ago. She expected GLaDOS to come for her years ago, but now, just as she decided to settle herself in peace She takes her back here, into Aperture.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, disbelievingly. "Didn't I tell you never to come back?"

Chell gaped at the camera before looking at the floor, shaking her head. "I never planned to return." Chell replied quietly. "Not now. No." She looked back at the camera, "Wait, I thought you brought me back."

A faint familiar pop resounded in the glass room and Chell's gaze traveled to the blue portal glowing on the wall. The other portal was outside the chamber and was glowing in the usual orange tint. Chell hesitated.

"I'm not going to let you test, idiot. I know better than that." GLaDOS told her. A smile tugged at Chell's lips. _You haven't changed one single bit GLaDOS. I'm glad._

 

 ----------------------

AIDRIAN walked aimlessly through the facility, pursuing the deeper and older parts of the facility. Anywhere just to get him away from GLaDOS. For some odd reason, the older parts of the facility was incredibly familiar and a wave of nostalgia hit him. He remembered faintly roaming around these places, a long time ago.

He perched himself on top of the rusting railings of the catwalks, near the long forgotten Extended Relaxation Vaults. AIDRIAN looked up at the management rail. He vaguely remembered sliding on that management rail. He... He used to take care of the humans. Yes, humans. The test subjects. How many were they? Oh yes, ten thousand. Ten thousand humans in stasis. Vegetables.

"Funny term, vegetables." he said aloud to no one in particular, "I mean, they're humans in stasis or what She'd say vegetative state. Whatever tha' is." he let out a chuckle, "Vegetables..."

He got back on his feet and started walking to somewhere else. He saw the dramatic change of order of the hallways and catwalks from the Relaxation Vaults to wherever he is right now. He was much deeper in the facility, that's one thing he's sure about. But where exactly, no.

_"I have a big surprise for you..."_

AIDRIAN jumped in shock and tumbled down to the ground. His glasses flew from his face. Letting out a groan, he sat up, feeling out the floor in search of the glasses. After five minutes in blindness, AIDRIAN grabbed his glasses and abruptly shoved it up his nose. "Damn it." he mumbled, "both of the lenses cracked."

Subjected to double vision because of the cracked lenses, AIDRIAN tried to make his way through the messy corridors, stumbling on littered wires and panels every now and then. AIDRIAN wondered why this part of the facility was in such a mess, GLaDOS wouldn't be able to stand it if she sees this, would she? As far as he knew, GLaDOS would always fix things up.

He once again walked through the maze of catwalks. Mainly because there were less debris from whatever happened for him to trip on. Just to make sure he wouldn't trip and fully break his glasses. That would be really troublesome, as he wouldn't be able to see. Double vision was better than blindness. Yeah. That's better than blindness. He could live with that.

A faint alarm echoed in the distance, beating in a certain rhythm that sent chills down his spine. He looked down below through the tiny holes of the catwalk. He can see the faint outline of the test chambers below him and the glowing of those blue lights.

"I wonder what those lights are for," he asked to himself, "They look all fancy and science-y and stuff but what does it ever do?" He kept staring at the lights below him until he got a bit dizzy. He staggered backwards a bit and clutched the railing as he tried to steady himself. "Never. Look. Down." He mumbled to himself.

He got to an intersection and had a quick mental debate on which route to take. He thought of turning left because left leads to an elevator if his internal map was correct. Straight takes him to the deeper parts of the facility. To go right was to go to the Cryogenic Refrigeration Wing. He decided to step forward.

The catwalk gave way.

For a moment, everything went in slow motion. AIDRIAN saw the test chambers flying past him as he fell down. Fear and panic took over. He flailed in mid air and screamed as loud as his vocal processors could.

"Somebody catch me!!!!!!!!!"

Curling himself up into a ball, he prepared for an impact he knew hew would never survive.

_**Crash!** _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyya guys, So yes, Chell is the not-so-old woman, and GLaDOS basically has no intention of testing her or killing her. She learned from those and would not want to risk herself in danger again, now that the facility has quietened a bit.
> 
> AIDRIAN, basically Wheatley, was roaming around the facility in the very old parts that GLaDOS never bothered clearing out yet. No, it's not old Aperture where Cave Johnson's recorded messages are. No. Just to clear it out.


	9. Chapter 9

A deafening crash echoed in the large chamber.

 

Pain shot through AIDRIAN's entire body. His back slammed hard on the ceiling panels of the test chamber. He crashed so hard that it gave way.

 

In the moment of panic he strained his neck to try and see the floor. It was conveniently covered in blue gel. He stretched his arms and twisted his upper body to the right. He spun mid-air and saw the floor fast approaching. Quickly twisting his lower body to the left more to match the force he used to make himself spin, he managed to stop spinning and, on all fours, he hit the gel covered surface. Pain crawled through his processors while he bounced back up so high he almost hit the ceiling again.

 

Delirious and in pain, AIDRIAN managed to get himself up right when he fell. His feet slammed onto the floor again, this time on the non-coated part. Another wave of pain shot through him. Dots flooded his blurred vision. He barely noticed his glasses falling somewhere near him.

 

He collapsed on the floor and he was aching all over. It was a miracle that he was still alive. That was a fall that he couldn't have survived, but, somehow, he managed to. He can't believe it himself. AIDRIAN reckoned he heard his metal skeleton creak and groan in protest when he landed the second time.

 

He forced himself to sit up, he gasped at the pain he felt as he did so. He stared blindly around him and tried to recognize where he was but to no avail. He then started feeling out his surroundings. He winced when shards of glass punctured his skin. He withdrew his hand in haste. He pulled the large shards out and beads of black liquid appeared. It seems as if it was an android version of blood. He ripped the hem of his lab coat and wrapped it around his wound.

 

 _Why are there broken glass here?_ He thought _, I never saw anything broken when I fell in... unless..._

 

He slowly brought back his hand to the place the shards of glass were. His hand found the cold metal frame of his glasses. He shoved them on. The left lens was reduced to the shards of glass that wounded him. The right lens was cracked severely that AIDRIAN was surprised that it hasn't shattered into pieces. Nonetheless, he kept them on. Though, he'd had to close his left eye every now and then, either because he was becoming a bit dizzy or because he can't see what was up ahead clearly.

 

Only now was AIDRIAN more aware of where he was. He was on the edge of the platform, a foot away the edge. He jerked backward which made his head ache.

 

After a few struggles, AIDRIAN was back on his feet. He could tell he's in a test chamber. But there was no possible way of escaping. One, because he doesn't have testing equipment. Two, because he just found out that there was no power in this sector and that _if_ he ever have any testing equipment, it will still be useless because he'd need the excursion funnel up and running. He needs to get himself up to the roof with the help of the funnel, replace one of the portals on the elevated surface, punting himself in the air and towards the exi--

 

AIDRIAN stopped thinking. He didn't know how he could've thought of the solution of the test chamber _that_ fast, or any solution for a test, to be honest.  He did anyway. But it felt like he was only _remembering_ the solution instead of thinking of it. In fact, now that he thought of it, the place _did_ look familiar. He looked jt the funnel, then the opposite of it. Then, if he remembered correctly, the monitor was just at the opposite side. There.

 

_"Only three more chambers 'til your big surprise!"_

 

AIDRIAN stumbled back in shock and accidentally fell backwards and as the pain flooded his processors, he heard a faint maniacal laugh in the distance.

 

AIDRIAN clutched his pounding head; all the while he was gathering his wits. He growled in frustration as he screwed his eyes shut. Argh! Why did he even think of straying into the deeper parts of the facility? What was the whole point? He couldn't remember. This frustrated him and he bellowed to no one in aggravation. The yells pierced through the silence.

 

The android slowly opened his eyes. Flecks of blue light danced across his vision. They were scattered, floating in different directions. They danced around him in a calming rhythm. They seemed to be calling for him. AIDRIAN wanted to touch them. He reached out to touch one fleck but it floated away from his grasp. He stood up despite the groan of protest from his worn out body.

 

He tried catching one but he abruptly stopped when he stepped on some kind of liquid. His eyes widened when he became aware of the android blood dripping from his chin. His hand found the large gash on the side of his head.

 

There was a protruding piece of metal barely noticeable of the button less button. It seemed that the metal was the one which caused the injury. AIDRIAN didn't know if androids can be affected by blood loss or some sort of crap because, bloody hell, he was going to lose a lot of blood if he doesn't do anything.

 

AIDRIAN ripped two pieces of cloth and dabbed one of it on his wound. A fleck of light wiggled to get his attention but AIDRIAN tried to ignore it. The other cloth, he wrapped around his wound. He flinched in pain. He tried to bear with it anyway.

 

AIDRIAN started to tinker with the broken button. He reconnected and rerouted wires. He sent commands to panels and such. For a few more minutes he did this and he hacked the power grid.

 

Meanwhile, Chell walked into the incredibly huge and spacious Central AI Chamber. It was mainly empty if it weren't for the giant supercomputer hanging from the ceiling.

 

"Well hello." The supercomputer said plainly, tilting her head to the side. "You took a bit longer than I expected. Getting a bit lazy, aren't you?"

 

Chell settled herself atop a step of the stairs. "Well, I _am_ getting old."

 

GLaDOS rolled her eye. "Oh you are, are you?" Chell laughed out loud. "You've just been gone for approximately 5 months," GLaDOS pointed out. "You're not even that old. And even if you are old, you wouldn't change a bit."

 

"Probably, yeah."

 

"That was a fact, idiot," She pointed out. "You still are, and will forever be, my tenacious, dangerous, fat test subject. That will never change."

 

Chell smirked, "Do you want me to prove you wrong," she asked. GLaDOS emitted one of those electronic chuckles and shook her core.

 

"Don't even try. I'm always righ--"

 

 _ **"Manual Power Restoration in Section - W3 - Complete**_. _ **"**_

 

Chell didn't know GLaDOS could literally freeze herself for five minutes straight, staring at the wall. Chell didn't see anything fascinating about it. But she had a feeling she wasn't _exactly_ looking at the wall. It seemed that she was looking through camera feeds.

 

It was not long after when a growl escaped GLaDOS speakers. She started swinging back and forth in annoyance.

 

"Uh, GLaDOS." Chell called out.

 

GLaDOS' core snapped to her direction in surprise. For a supercomputer who boasts about being super intelligent, she was quite good at forgetting about things when she was preoccupied.

 

"What happened?" Chell dared to ask her. "Is there something wrong?"

 

"Something wrong? Yes there's something wrong." GLaDOS hissed, "AIDRIAN fell into the unrepaired parts of the facility. He's at the verge of breaking his android body _I just fixed._ _” She glared at the wall again,_ “That ungrateful little moron."

 

"AIDRIAN?" Chell said, taken aback. There was an android in the facility? "Who's AIDRIAN?"

 

"Artificial Intelligence Droid - Redacted Intelligence and Narrator." GLaDOS said, "More commonly known as our little Intelligence Dampening Sphere who destroyed the facility not so long ago. Wheatley." His name was not said, it was spat, as if it was a poisonous word.

 

"Unrepaired parts of the facility?" Chell questioned, "I thought you've finished repairing the facility! You’re a supercomputer!"

 

"I _should_ have finished repairing the facility, is that what you're saying?" GLaDOS asked her in a dangerous voice. "Well I didn't. I needed AIDA to repair the central unit that connects me to that sector. But I just have to find out she was gone. And when she did return she had the little idiot in an android body."

 

Chell remembered the girl from the festival. Was she AIDA? Was she the one who brought her back here? It seemed so.

 

"Then they went up to the surface and met you, I presume. Whatever happened, it left her in a bad mood. A very bad mood." She turned to Chell, "What did you do?"

 

"I didn't do anything." Chell replied quietly, "She saved my life."

 

Silence descended upon the room. Well, it wasn't quite silent, with the audible whirring of GLaDOS' brain and various humming sounds from machines. Chell wondered what will happen now. She was returned to Aperture for a reason, though accidental. She had a sense of foreboding. A natural instinct she had developed.

 

Chell just noticed GLaDOS staring at her the whole time with a tilted core. "What?" She snapped. GLaDOS didn't move. Chell narrowed her eyes.

 

"Why do I have a bad feeling you want me to go after him," Chell stood up and backed away slowly and cautiously to the exit. The panels abruptly closed the opening and trapped Chell in. "Uh, GLaDOS?"

 

"Oh yes." GLaDOS remarked, "I need you to go after him before he kills himself."

 

"How about no."

 

GLaDOS smirked, "Then we're at an impasse."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GLaDOS smirked, "Then we're at an impasse."
> 
> Author's Note
> 
> "Khate what's with your formatting?"
> 
> Well, wattpad's being a crap ass with formatting so sorry. In the name of wattpad, sorry.
> 
> Anyway I've been at this for three days and finally it's out. Thanks to @stilliammemyself for helping me edit this. I kinda wrote stuff I don't know what terms to use and she helped me! Thanks!


	10. Caroline

At last! The power was back!

The chamber lights flooded the room once again. AIDRIAN had to cover his eyes at the sudden brightness that filled the room. He managed to remember to adjust his optics to the light as he was one to forget the simplest and most basic things androids should do.

AIDRIAN managed to leave the chamber and onto the catwalks on the side of the test chamber by sending instructions to panels. Each step he took hurt his body, each movement he made gave a pang and anywhere he looked the blue lights were there. He reckoned that these lights were caused by his wound on his head. He might have damaged his sight processors. Oddly, the mysterious lights were calling to him. He had a feeling that these lights weren't there because of the injury, that these lights were trying to lead him somewhere, telling him to go to the elevator. He was going there of course. Not that he had any choice. It was the only escape he had.

AIDRIAN was able to get himself into the elevator. He struggled at the act of walking. Once he got in, he collapsed on the floor, gasping in pain. His body was straining to keep its parts in place. AIDRIAN panted tiredly. He needed an escape plan. But he couldn't think of anything. All he wanted now was to rest, to sleep. Sleep sounded nice, yeah. He was going to sleep. He needed energy. He would just rest for a few hours, nothing to worry about. Then he'd just pick up where he left. That sounded like a plan. A plan it was then!

All the while he thought of this, he slowly drifted into a dreamless sleep.

\--

"God, I can't believe I'm going to do this."

Chell mumbled as she adjusted the earpiece so that it would fit her. She had just finished shoving her feet in the long fall boots. The earpiece was a form of communication between Chell and GLaDOS. GLaDOS didn't have control over the sector Chell was going to venture in. Well, not until Chell manages to get there alive and fixes it. This was going to be one hell of a journey.

"Hello, testing, is this working?" Chell spoke through the mic of the earpiece.

"I can hear you fine," GLaDOS replied in such a volume Chell had to take the earpiece off.

GLaDOS rolled her eye. "Turn the volume down. It's almost as loud as the volume my speakers are. You'll get yourself deaf. You can pretend to be mute just don't damage your fragile eardrums."

Chell nodded and readjusted the earpiece. The wall beside her opened and revealed a panel. The slim, white Portal Gun sat atop the panel and Chell's hands started to itch.

"Here's your portal gun," GLaDOS announced, moving the panel closer to Chell. The woman eyed the supercomputer suspiciously. "Pick it up, you'll need it. Believe me. I won't be able to do anything but guide you throughout your journey to help me regain the connection.

"Oh, and one last thing before you leave," A maintenance arm handed her a small box, the size of a computer mouse, and clear glasses. Chell took the glasses and inspected it closely. "Those glasses, The Aperture Science Augmented Reality GLaSSES. I--"

"Is it really necessary " Chell asked, reading the label of the GLaSSES on its metal frame. "To 'GLaDOS' the Glasses? I mean, G-L-aD-O-S."

"There's an explanation to why I named it like that," GLaDOS pointed out. "But you were impolite, as always, and interrupted me so I guess I'll just keep silent."

"Oh come on!" Chell sighed, "Tell me." GLaDOS shrugged her chassis but did not give her an answer. Chell crossed her arms. GLaDOS was smiling inwardly, Chell could tell. Fine, if the supercomputer wanted to play difficult then she'll play along. She'll beat GLaDOS in her own game.

"I'm not wearing this until you'll tell me what it does."

"Then don't." GLaDOS replied dryly. "You'll die without my help, not that I don't want that to happen. I've been waiting for a long time to see you dead." Chell laughed tauntingly. GLaDOS looked at her and snapped, "What?"

Chell smiled at her with a raised eyebrow. "Since when were your attempts of murdering ever succeeded? None." GLaDOS growled at her and Chell laughed again. "Obviously this adventure would be no different, eh?"

"Hmm, not entirely true. The difference is that everything in there holds a potential threat to you and I have no power to stop it."

"Wait," Chell mumbled. Was GLaDOS implying what she was thinking? "Were you holding back all this time?" GLaDOS looked away from Chell reluctantly.

"Always."

She said the word in such a quiet volume it sounded more of a ghost whisper. In a gentle and soft manner Chell could not imagine an omnipotent AI could do. Did she really held back as much as she could without her noticing it? Did she really care about her? And if she did, to what extent was it? Chell knew GLaDOS was her friend. The supercomputer established their relationship like that without letting her protest. But she felt like GLaDOS cared for her more than a friend, or a best friend, would. It was more of a motherly concern. A motherly affection. Just like how Caroline wo--

"Caroline?"

GLaDOS' core jerked to Chell's direction involuntarily before she turned around to face her.

"Hello, Chell."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN-
> 
> That was... p short. lel. sorry. Writing on a 4x2 inch screen is hard. Anyway, hope you liked it. It's currently raining outside because of a storm and we have no electricity so probably by the time I post this I might be starting on the next chapter.
> 
> Anyway, CAROLINE OMG!!! I didn't intend to add her here, it was supposed to be like 'U shaddap it was luck that helped u escape, not to mention da ratman' kind of convo but I thought about GLaDOS possibly holding back. She could've just killed Chell right there and then instead of a 'surprise mthrfckr' kind of killing. And she /didn't/ notice the turrets going all crap and the neurotoxin generator being all destroyed. Or did she?
> 
> Food for thought~
> 
> Edit
> 
> Omg It's been 4 days since I've initially finished this. Meaning 4 days of no electricity in my place. That's pretty rare considering my place is rarely where typhoons go. I'm glad the power's back anyway. I miss the computer~ Anyway here ya go!
> 
> Thanks a lot to those who supports this story. It's all coming to a close and I hope that you've enjoyed it~
> 
> Edit again:  
> Who got the Harry Potter reference here? Lel.


	11. Chapter 11

"Hello, Chell."

Oh my God, is that really her? Is that really Caroline?

"H-how?" I stammer. "I thought... Didn't GLaDOS--?"

"Attempted to delete me?" Caroline finishes my sentence, chuckling a bit. Her voice is undeniably alike GLaDOS, only, lighter, cheerful, and, perhaps, more human. Her voice is still autotuned but the semblance of it matches the one I have heard when I was in old Aperture. When I was still a child. "Yes, she did."

"And sad to say it didn't work." Comes the harsher voice of GLaDOS. I just need to laugh at the disappointment evident in her tone. "I still don't know why it didn't work. I sent clear commands to _delete_ the cursed conscience I have but it still failed."

"It means that I was never supposed to be deleted by youuu~" Caroline says teasingly. GLaDOS growls at Caroline. She hurled a set of insults at her, dictating a list of what she can do but Caroline can't and I let out a loud guffaw. They are cute arguing like that. It's as if they're both sisters arguing over petty little trifles taught to adolescents. Well, they are somewhat like sisters, considering GLaDOS came from Caroline. I just wish she had Caroline's kindness though. Everything would be less complicated even for a incredibly intricate supercomputer.

"... are an ignorant old woman who's annoying and it's really a miracle that you were able to..."

GLaDOS doesn't really stop with the insults, does she?

"... you're not even in the slightest bit astute--"

"Hey!" Caroline protests. GLaDOS is taking it too far now and pisses off Caroline "I work for a Science company! I know stuff!"

"Yeah. You know _stuff,_ like what? You work for a science company with a CEO whose brain consists merely of a bag of screws."GLaDOS mocks far too harshly that I think she is supposed to. It still is somewhat true. Cave Johnson, my dad, is somewhat insane. He had this absurd idealism about Science that up unil now I can't understand. Not that I can blame him. He died when I was still a baby. I never really met him.

"Yeah, and you were made by a bunch of idiots, which makes you one by the way." Caroline says sweetly. I think she'd be smirking  if she's in her body. They're starting to take the insults seriously now.

"Then you're implying you're stupid. Just like your daughter." GLaDOS spat. "Not to mention that your daughter is a number of things as well. Obese. Murderer. Monster. Lunat--

"Hey, guys, I'm still here, you know." I blurt out. I'm not _that_ stupid. Nor am I _that_ fat. GLaDOS turns to face me. She let out a small 'oh' as she remembers I am in the same room as she is in. How is that even hard to forget?! If I'm fat I'm not hard to miss, eh?

"Am I going to go and repair the central unit or am I going to stay here and watch you two argue nonstop?" I ask them, raising one of my eyebrows up and putting no a 'I-am-waiting' expression.

"Stay he-"

"You are going to go down to sector W3. Now, will you kindly let me explain the Augmented Reality GLaSSES?"

I nod. Caroline lets out the same growl GLaDOS would sometimes make, but she doesn't say anything more.

"Like I said, this is the Aperture Science Augmented Reality GLaSSES. This has a little microchip that transmits  signals which sends information and commandments to the different systems running Aperture. In return, the systems sends back needed information that would guide you to where you should go, stand or step.

"The path you'll be using is the same one we used to escape the moron--"

"Wheatley." Caroline corrects. GLaDOS flashes her optic in annoyance and ignores her.

"-- a few months back. Do you remember that? You should or you're doomed. The route you'd take will lead you straight to the crusher trap. There are catwalks boardering it. I'll tell you which door you'll need to go into later."

"And the GLaSSES?" I ask. "What does it stand for?"

"Genetic Lifeform and Super Sass Emitting System."

"It sounds like an alternate name for you. "I say, chuckling. "Only less science-y."

"As a matter of fact," GLaDOS glares at me, "It is an alternate name for a duplicate of me, only less... intelligent. In case there's a catastrophic event which somewhat left me disabled, or in cases when I'm just too busy to pay attention to whatever it is you're doing, the Genetic Lifeform and Super Sass Emitting System will take over and give you your doses of inspiration and whatever comfort you need."

"I think I'd need that _comfort_ and _inspiration_ you talk about." I remark sarcastically. It's a sass emitting system. It would give me as much insults as I'd like. God, what is with GLaDOS and her inventions of suffering?

"You should wear it already," She says blandly. "It takes time to calibrate itself according to your eyesight. And we need to see if we can get the systems to connect to it." Monitors descends from the ceiling, lines and lines of code flying past her in such speed it's a miracle she can read it. Well, she _is_ a supercomputer. So she probably could read it in a matter of nanoseconds. Wow. Amaze.

I shove the AR GLaSSES on my nose and series of dots flashed around my line of sight.

"Stop moving your eyes too much," GLaDOS commands. "I can't pinpoint the center of your eyes." I try staring at GLaDOS, ignoring the dots that continuously catches my attention. After a few minutes or so, the lights disappear, leaving dark spots in my vision. Things and notifications started popping up which are immediately dismissed by GLaDOS.

_Is this the girl?_

Whaaa--?

_I want to talk to her!_

There isn't anyone else in the room. Who are--

_Hush up. The Central Core is still busy._

The peculiar voices ceased and I looked at GLaDOS with narrowed eyes. GLaDOS twitched.

"Those are the systems. I forgot that the glasses translates binary messages. That or you can understand binary."

"You mean the ones and zeroes?"

"Yes, the ones and zeroes, Binary."

Oh, so that's what it's called. Hmm, learn something new everyday. I'm not really sure if I can read binary. I mean, I can get the ones and zeroes to make sense and sometimes, when I had time when I was up at the surface, I'd write binary. For no particular reason. Mostly out of fun, really.

I try sending something to the _systems._

_Hello?_ I say uncertainly.

_Oh, can I talk to her now?_ A red set of binary appeared in front of me, or what seems like in front of me with the illusion shown by the GLaSSES.

_The central core is not yet finished. Talk to her later._ Colour green text popped out, scolding whoever sent the first one. I laugh.

_Who are you?_ I ask the system using the red text.

_I'm Surveillance!_ It says cheerfully, _and I love to watch you test. You're impressive. No wonder Central Core likes you._

GLaDOS? Likes me? I'm flattered. _I doubt tha_ t. I reply to her. Or it. I'm not sure.

_How about the grumpy green one? Who's he?_

_Oh, that's the Mainframe._

_The Mainframe, eh? No wonder he's as smug as one of Snow White's dwarves._

_That is an overstatement. I'm not like that!_ Mainframe protests and I snigger.

_What's funny?_ Yellow text appears. _No, seriously, tell me what's funny. Are you talking to the systems? How are you even smart enough to do so. With tests you can act all clever and stuff but you have no right to read or understand binary._

"GLaDOS?" I asked disbelievingly. "Did you mean that?"

"Mean what?"

"That I have no right to read or understand binary?"

Her optic leaves the screen and she turns to look at me, confused, as if I've gone crazy. "When did I say that?"

It's my turn to be puzzled. "What do you mean when did you say that? You told me that in binary, which I read, for your information." She shrugs and returns to whatever it is she is doing.

_It's not the Central Core who sent that._ The Mainframe tells me. _It's the Sass Emitting System._

_Oh,_ I type back. _Right. The inspirational version of GLaDOS. Just_ inspirational.

_Don't be mad at her._ A new system types. It is colour blue green. _She_ _is not really serious when she said that._

_Oh, I'm pretty sure I was serious when I sent that._ Sass interrupted. _And you shouldn't just stand there doing nothing. You're supposed to reconnect GLaDOS, right? Not to mention saving your boyfriend._

_Boy... what? No. He's not my boxfriend!_ I type hurriedly, face burning. _He's not even my best friend!_ Which is true. I never had feelings for him in the first place. Plus he betrayed me and tried to kill me multiple times. Who would like to have a friend who's a back stabbing AI?

_Be that way then. Idiot._ She replies boredly.

I roll my eyes and brace myself for the upcoming pain in the ass journey. I really can't believe I'm doing this.

"GLaDOS, I'm going now." I inform her. She nods in acknowledgment

"I'm not going anywhere so you go ahead. It's not like I'm not stuck here." She comments, swaying, ever so slightly, back and forward.

"Take care sweetie." Caroline whispers to me through the earpiece.

I will mom. Don't worry. I'll be back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:
> 
> I'm going to go sleep now, it's 11 pm and I still have classes.
> 
> Anyway, this follows the Caroline and Cave begot Chell theory so just to clear things out.
> 
> The systems, some theorize, actually have their own mind. GLaDOS said "I spoke with the Door Mainframe. Let's just say he won't be living anymore." Or something like it. There are some fics that indirectly shows the mainfqame's semi/full sentience like LaaC or THV (ask me 'bout these if you're interested) fan fics. Here I'll go with a fully sentient Mainframe.
> 
> I haven't introduced all the systems yet. The blue-green one is the panels btw.
> 
> #SupportTheSuperSassEmittingSystem


	12. TPWHKY Route

_**The Part Where He Kills You Route** _

_**\--** _

I'm barely out of the room and I'm pretty sure I've received 57 messages from different systems, including Caroline and GLaDOS.

 _You go_ in _the elevator over there,_ _not through the door. I thought you remembered the route. «_ _GLaDOS_ _»_

I stop walking and look at elevator and shrug. _I'll take the stairs please._ I tell them, pointing at the set of stairs.

_Good, because I'm not going to let you use that elevator. It's dangerous._ __«Caroline»_ _

I forgot Caroline has a mild elevator phobia. For some reason, she gets too protective when it comes to elevators. I can't blame her. I remember her telling me she met a somewhat psychopathic little girl in the elevator who threw her into a test chamber. Then there was the time the elevator malfunctioned and got stuck, unmoving, trapping her inside for five hours. And then the recent incident, the one where _He_ destroyed the elevator and GLaDOS and I fell down. I sigh. Elevators.

I walk down the flight of metal stairs, ignoring the continuous flow of messages at the side of the GLaSSES. They're mostly arguments about stuff and half of it consisted a betting conversation. They're saying that I can make the journey to the Central Unit in four hours. I'm not sure though, I think I'd make it in an hour or so but not four hours.

Some systems, particularly the mainframe, are extremely annoyed about the others being noisy and exasperating and I would've complained with them, but I need to focus.

Focus...

 _SHE CAN DO IT IN FIVE MINUTES!_ Surveillance supposedly yells through caps lock.

_That is genuinely impossible. Unless there's a portal placed next to the Central Unit, it could happen. Unfortunately I can't place the portal there as I please. Well, Not until I can regain control over the sector. Stop standing around doing nothing you idiot. I know you're not moving, by the way. Just so you know. I can still feel you standing around being useless, as usual. «_ _GLaDOS_ _»_

I twitch and an involuntary feeling of throwing the GLaSSES away comes over me. It takes a lot of will power to stop myself from doing so because, God, they're  so annoying.

 _I would've moved if you provided me a way to get to the other side._ I reply as calmly as I can.

 _Look behind you. Isn't that a_ conveniently _placed Aerial Faith Plate? I suppose you can use that_ _to catapult yourself to the other side. «_ _GLaDOS_ _»_

_P.S. That was sarcasm. You can really use that to punt yourself to the other side._ _And please do. I'm getting rather impatient._

I growl at her in annoyance and stomp toward the faith plate. She's just chatting me and I'm already pissed. I hope she doesn't start talking. Or else...

"I forgot to tell you that I can read your thoughts when you have the GLaSSES on you."

Damn it. GLaDOS you monstrous AI.

"I heard that, you monstrous lunatic." She tells me. Why am I even doing this? She can't boss me around. I don't have to listen to what she says.  Wait.

Maybe I can mute this.

"No you can't."

Dang it. Why does she always have to ruin the fun?

I grumble a curse to her and punt myself toward the other side of the facility. And, save for the annoying texts I've been receiving, I find myself actually enjoying this. The familiar feeling of adrenaline vapour pump through my system. I am reminded quickly of testing. It has been a while since I have tested. It would be probably nice to test for GLaDOS a bit after this. A mutual kind of test, not a I-hope-you-die-in-this-test-chamber-so-don't-disappoint-me-good-luck kind of test.

Refocusing all of my attention on the journey ahead me, I walk through the old, debris littered corridor into the wide room of the production site which is quite alive, judging by the looks of the speedy conveyor belt and the spike plate mashing away at the end of it.

"GLaDOS," I call out to the mic, "can you reconnect the flow of gels to this place?"

"As much as I would like to, I can't." She replies. "I'm sorry, but you're on your own here."

I bit my lip in frustration, staring at the spike plate going up and down in constant rhythm. The belt is going fast. I shoot a portal at the other end of the conveyor belt, opposite the spike plate, and the other portal on the floor beside me. I need to calculate the speed of the belt to avoid dying. I drop a piece of metal into the portal and onto the belt before being carried away to the spike plate in approximately six seconds. If the belt is probably eighteen meters long then the velocity of the belt would be three meters per second. I can run probably as fast as that when I'm not tired.

I can do this.

Taking a deep breath, I jump into the portal and ran contrast the direction of the conveyor belt, making sure my speed is not exactly matching the speed of the conveyor belt so I don't immediately approach the catwalk and lose the correct timing to get on it.

After a few seconds of running and accidental stumbling, I look back and the catwalk was inches away from me. Letting my speed drop to one meter per second, I grab the railing when the chance presented itself and I get on safely to the other side.

"Great job." GLaDOS remark with little interest, initiating her slow clap processor. "You have applied basic mathematics for your survival. Why do I find that hard to believe?"

"I don't know." I reply sarcastically. "I'm actually shocked that someone as smart assed as you are would find it almost impossible to believe that  I, the test subject who had successfully killed you, could apply basic math in life."

"Shut up."

"Nah. I want to talk to you. I miss talking to you"

"Oh, you miss talking to me. How flattering. But I'd rather I do the talking here. You know just like old times." I laugh at her statement while placing portals for me to continue making progress. I do miss talking though. It's been years since I last did. I dunno, a couple of days before I became a test subject I suppose. I didn't talk to humans up there. I didn't want to. I have this uncomfortable hunch that they're up to something. And I think they are. GLaDOS though, I wouldn't mind. She's not as threatening as before.

"Oh so you want me to become threatening?" The supercomputer purrs. "I'd be happy to try and kill you again. Just murder me again."

"We both know it's impossible, I can't help it." I state, coming across the same huge room which was once filled with turrets. There is still one remaining, standing in the catwalk. Oddly enough I remember clearing them all. In fact I did clear them all. Why is there a turret right there?

"Hello?"

The red laser beam searches for its target, tracing around its surroundings in a slow way. But the more it does that the more it hits me that it is tracing a sideward eight, infinite track again and again.

"I'm different."

What the?!

"Oh my God." GLaDOS gasps all of the sudden, making me step backward. If there is anything evident in her voice, it is the absence of a heavy dose of auto tuning. Caroline? "Is that what I think it is? I don't really know what to say about this but I remember seeing that turret be incinerated."

Oh. That's probably my fault. Heheh...

"No, not that time sweetie." She tells me and I jerk my head to the side. She can also hear my thoughts? I don't know. I'm starting to feel kind of creeped out now. Too much lack of privacy. Anyone can hear my thoughts. Not cool.

"I was talking about the time when we accidentally built the oracle turret," mom continues. "I might say I'm quite fond of that turret. But the scientists said something about it being Doug's fault and that it was just another failed project. I saw something else though. I saw a turret who was able to predict the future just by watching and weighing out probabilities.

"I'm not saying you can't do that GLaDOS. Hush up. I -  No.  I didn't say that. Look. I know you can do it as well but you straightforwardly say everything that it barely sounds like a prediction. Okay? Now where was I?  Oh, yes.

"But basically the point is that this turret has advance artificial intelligence, though not fully sentient. The turret is kind of as old as GLaDOS and probably quite as clever as she is when making predictions." Caroline teases in a singsong voice. I grin spread on my face. "Or worse, the turret is better at making predictions." I hear an electrical growl from GLaDOS and I smile. The narcissistic AI is being too jealous of something. Typical GLaDOS.

The two remains silent now, probably having this argument in the supercomputer's head so I just savour the silence now. Oh how much I miss you, peacefulness.

"Icarus is flying too close to the sun and Icarus' life, it has only just begun."

Here it is saying something about Greek mythologies again. Just like last time when it said something Prometheus. Interesting metaphors. I slowly make my way toward the turret and gently sit down beside it. Her optic flicks to the side, lookin at me before blinking slowly.

"He knows how it feels to take a fall. Icarus is flying towards an early grave."

Is she talking about Wheatley? Wait, is he going to die? Well... I can't say that's bad, I mean he is pretty corrupt. Not to mention stupid and somewhat a waste of space but, well GLaDOS kept him for a reason so I guess him dying is a bad thing. In any case, why did GLaDOS let him stay?

"I kept the moron for AIDA." GLaDOS suddenly intervenes my train of thought stubbornly. " _Only_ because of AIDA. And I'm not at all amused with his presence. Not at all. He even brought a bird and its offspring here." I hear her sigh and the vividly detailed memory of a bird eating a potato battery greets my mind's eye. That was funny. It's _still_ funny, actually.

"No, it is _not."_ she replies flatly, reading my thoughts yet again. Well,  at least she can hear every horrid insult I throw at her or any jokes that will piss her off. "None of your insults are horrid. Stop flattering yourself."

"Oh,  so the insults are the truth then?"

"No. If anything they're just lies about me."

"Or is it?"

GLaDOS let out a string of electrical noises in annoyance and whispers something to herself, or to Caroline. I'm not sure. I think it's the latter. Mom is quite... a teaser.

I shrug and pick up the oracle turret with the help of my portal gun's energy field manipulator. I'm taking her with me. She utters a sincere thank you to me like the last time I saved her. Well,  at least I have a less annoying companion with me.

_And me._

Yes, the Oracle Turret and Sass.

Wait,  Sass?

Shit. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N
> 
> I'm still alive. I'm so sorry. I can't believe this came out two months late. I'm sorry. I have nothing to say now. Bye.


End file.
